Soundgarden frontman Chris Cornell dead at age 52

UPI News Service, 05/18/2017

Soundgarden frontman Chris Cornell died Wednesday night. He was 52 years old.

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"Chris Cornell passed away late Wednesday night in Detroit, MI. His wife Vicky and family were shocked to learn of his sudden and unexpected passing, and they will be working closely with the medical examiner to determine the cause. They would like to thank his fans for their continuous love and loyalty and ask that their privacy be respected at this time," his rep said in a statement.

The cause of his death is unknown. The singer died in Detroit where the band performed on May 17.

Cornell, born in 1964, formed Seattle grunge band Soundgarden in 1984. The band released their first single "Hunted Down" on Subpop in 1987. Their most popular songs, "Black Hole Sun" and "Spoonman," both won Grammys. The band, which includes guitarist Kim Thayil, bassist Ben Shepherd and drummer Matt Cameron, disbanded in 1997, but reunited in 2010. They have been performing together ever since.

The singer helped form the band Temple of the Dog in 1990 with members of Pearl Jam in tribute to late frontman of Mother Love Bone Andrew Wood. In the early 2000s, Cornell started the group Audioslave, which featured members of Rage Against the Machine. Their song, "Like a Stone," was nominated for a Grammy. The band broke up in 2007.

Cornell also released five solo albums during his time with Soundgarden including "Euphoria Morning." His song "Seasons" was on the soundtrack of "Singles," the Cameron Crowe film which he also appeared in.

In 2006, his song "You Know My Name" for the film "Casino Royale" won a Golden Globe award.

Rage Against the Machine posted a tweet honoring Cornell when news broke late Wednesday evening.